2 Colleges Titles for Ulster

All Ireland Colleges B Hurling Championship (O’Keefe Cup)
Cross & Passion College (Antrim) 3-12  Colaiste Eoin (Dublin) 1-10

Cross & Passion College Ballycastle won the O’Keefe Cup (All Ireland College B Hurling) at Pairc Esler Newry on Saturday when they beat Colaiste Eoin from Dublin by 3-12 to 1-11 after a terrific team display.

The North Antrim boys were slow to settle and fell two points behind before Ciaran Clarke and Shane Jennings points brought them level.

The sending off of right-half back Daniel McPeake looked like being a major set-back for the ‘Convent’ but towering full-back Matthew Donnelly lifted spirits greatly with two superb long range points, and when Ciaran Clarke got in for his team’s opening goal in the twenty-third minute the Ballycastle boys began to look like winners.

Three minutes later another long range free by big Matty Donnelly went all the way to the Colaiste Eoin net, a massive boost for the North Antrim side, and a score which saw them go in the break leading by 2-6 to 0-3.

Playing into a stiff breeze in the second-half it was far from plain sailing for Cross & Passion, but they stuck to their task manfully and after MacCraith had reduced the deficit for the Dublin side with two points from frees, Ciaran Clarke and John McBride hit back with points to restore the nine point cushion.

Top scorer Clarke struck the killer blow twelve minutes from time when he picked up a great pass from Shane Jennings and fired home his team’s third goal, and though Mark Schutte scrambled a late goal for Colaiste Eoin it was mere consolation as the destiny of the O’Keefe cup had already been decided.

Cross & Passion – Steven McGinn, Ronan McCloskey, Matthew Donnelly, Mark Scally, Niall Murray, James Coaig, Daniel McPeake, Conor Laverty (capt), Stephen Smyth, Sean Birt, John McBride, Shane McKee, Stephen McAfee, Shane Jennings, Ciaran Clarke.

Cross & Passion Scorers – Ciaran Clarke 2-6; Matthew Donnelly 1-2; Shane Jenning 0-3; Stephen McAfee 0-1.

(Report & Picture:  antrim.gaa.ie)

—

All Ireland Colleges B Football Championship
St Pius (Derry) 2-11 St Paul’s (Galway) 3-5

St Pius needed extra-time to see off St Paul’s Oughterard 2-11 to 3-5 in the football final at Carrick-on-Shannon.

The game was level 2-8 to 3-5 at the end of normal time but three extra-time points clinched the title for St Pius.

Ryan Bell scored one of the Magherafelt team’s goals in normal time but the Galway side brought the match to extra-time with a last-gasp score.

However points from Bell, Ciaran Devlin and captain Brian Doyle sealed St Pius’ victory.

St Pius are managed by former Derry player John Mulholland and ex-St Pat’s Maghera Hogan Cup winner John Heaney.

(Report:  bbc.co.uk/ni)